In addition, community awareness has been focused on sexual violence through both local and national events. Reports of sexual assaults on campus and within the community, continuing coverage of improper handling of child sexual abuse within religious communities and reports that women and men cannot feel safe in their own neighborhoods scream out at us through the headlines and the evening news.
Our work at the rape crisis center highlights a number of things that we want to share with the campus community:
1. Although the assaults that we hear about most are assaults committed by strangers, it is most often friends, family members, partners, dates or some other acquaintance who assault women and men, girls and boys. We do not point this out to minimize or discount the experiences of those of us who are assaulted by a stranger. However, when thinking about promoting our safety and challenging the rape culture we must have accurate information at our disposal.
2. The fear of sexual violence restricts opportunities for women, both on campus and in the larger community. It is no surprise to us that The Daily Tar Heel found that more women than men were scared to be out alone at night. Sexual violence disproportionately targets women in our culture. The threat, or fear, of sexual violence alone restricts the freedom of movement and expression of women. Indeed, one of the most common responses we hear following assaults is that women should restrict their lives in very real ways -- where they walk, with whom they walk, when they walk, when they study, how they dress ...
3. The person who is assaulted is not responsible for the assault, no matter what happened. There is no exception to this rule. Assaults are always the responsibility of the person who attacks another person -- not the responsibility of the person who is victimized. It doesn't matter what the circumstances are; poor judgment is not a crime.
4. While disproportionate numbers of women experience sexual violence, men also are affected by it. Not only have many men and boys been sexually abused, men also suffer as the secondary survivors of their mothers, sisters, daughters and women partners and friends who are assaulted. We all have a stake in challenging the rape culture.
What can you do on an individual level to combat the problem of sexual violence?
1. Become known as someone who is open to listening and believing when a survivor comes forward. Often we think a survivor needs to talk to someone. What she or he may need most is just someone to listen.
2. Know the limits of what you are able to offer a survivor, and make sure you know how to refer her or him so they can get the assistance they need. Educate yourself as to the resources in your community, school and life.
